Kieran Quinn obituary

Kieran Quinn’s leadership abilities were recognised when Tameside was named council of the year in 2016 by the Local Government Chronicle

My friend and colleague Kieran Quinn, who has died aged 56 after suffering a heart attack, had served as leader of Tameside council in Greater Manchester since 2010.

He had a strategic and perceptive mind and led major redevelopments of town centres that included new opportunities for education, training, business, transport and leisure. His leadership abilities were recognised when Tameside was named council of the year in 2016 by the Local Government Chronicle.

Kieran was born in Whalley Range, one of 10 children of Mary (nee McGlynn), a primary school teacher, and Bernard Quinn, a miner. After leaving St Bede’s RC grammar school, Manchester, he started a degree at Liverpool Polytechnic (now Liverpool John Moores University), but after his first year he took a summer job and decided not to go back. From the start of his career, when he joined the postal service, he directed considerable energy towards trade unions – becoming a key figure in the Communication Workers Union.

He was elected the member of Tameside council for Droylsden East in 1994, representing the Labour party, and he was soon in the cabinet as the lead on economic development, driving projects such the Metrolink tram system. As executive leader of the council from 2010, he guided the authority through the most challenging period in its history.

His impact stretched beyond Tameside’s boundaries. Kieran was a significant figure as Greater Manchester rediscovered its voice through the appointment of the new mayor and groundbreaking devolution deals. He was chair of the Greater Manchester pension fund which, under his leadership, experienced record growth and is now the biggest local government pension scheme in the UK.

But his real legacy is in the lives he touched – with children getting a better start in life, families provided with housing and support given to the most vulnerable residents. He was passionate about and ambitious for his community. His principles shone through in everything he did.

Kieran is survived by his wife, Susan (nee Gavin), whom he married in 1993, their two sons, Liam and Matthew, his mother and his siblings, Angela, Michael, Martin, Paddy, Paul, Bernie, Cathy, Anthony and Mary.